CAMBOFEST: Film and Video Festival of Cambodia (http://www.cambofest.com) enters its 4th edition on March 1-9, 2011!

“CamboFest brings the magic of movies to the land of Angkor”

-Julie and Roger Corman

His Majesty the King-Father asked me to thank you on His behalf. He read with great interest your report about your activities in reviving the cinema industry in Cambodia.” 

– From the cabinet of H.M. The King-Father Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia

CamboFest is Cambodia’s first international movie event since the end of the Khmer Rouge era.

Launched in 2550 (2007) by longtime Cambodia-based media producer and filmmaker Jason Rosette, and now entering its 4th year, CamboFest, Cambodia set out  to launch a functional entertainment and edutainment-oriented film festival platform in a country which continues to be lacking in cinema infrastructure after years of civil war and genocide.

With the help of our previous supporters, we’ve accomplished our initial goal! Over 200 international and local filmmakers have exhibited their work at CamboFest, inspiring new local festival efforts in Cambodia to join us in our mission.

In our previous 2552/2009 (3rd year) edition, CamboFest staffers discovered and brought back to life the long-forgotten pre-Khmer rouge ‘Royal’ cinema house in Kampot, Cambodia, one of 4 original cinema houses in that town, with only 3 original cinema structures left standing.  

Where local maps had once been blank, they now list the ‘Old Cinema’ once again as a cultural and tourist attraction..thanks to CamboFest.

We accomplished this with very limited funding and no foundation-level resources, just our own grass roots, ‘can do’ attitude – and the vital contributions of supporters like you. 

CAMBOFEST:

* Is the first international film festival in Cambodia since the Khmer Rouge era,  now in our 4th year and inspiring new festival efforts to join our mission.

* Is a rare example of strong IP (Intellectual Property) activism in the movie sector in Cambodia, by seeking and securing written permissions for every single movie.

* Seeks and restores to basic functional condition vintage cinemas and other venues that can serve as cinemas, in a country which is lacking motion picture infrastructure

* Is grass-roots, volunteer driven, and private sector (though with tax-deductible fiscal sponsorship through the US-based Media Alliance)

* Is an absolutely unique festival event taking place under ‘extreme’ and challenging conditions in the developing world

MAKE  A CONTRIBUTION

CamboFest is now seeking the continued, vital support of culture and media development enthusiasts like you for our upcoming edition:

501 (c) 3 Tax deductible contributions HERE: make a contribution through our fiscal sponsor, the California-based Media Alliance

…or, make a direct contribution through our Secure Online Payment gateway

We’re also seeking in-kind hardware contributions, volunteers and advisors, and commercial sponsorship; please contact us at  info@cambofest.com with inquries.

CamboFest strives for maximum sustainability by utlizing every Riel of revenue inputs and contributions in an exceptionally cost effective way.  

Our scalable, volunteer-driven approach allows us to mount an event even with extremely minimal funds…yet, we strive to produce a dimensional, quality event on a level that has significant costs attached:

Where your contribution goes…. 

$500 pays for our office space and utilities for a month…$100 pays a part time staffer for a month…$50 covers the  cost of venue rental or van rental for hauling gear (per day)…$25 pays for all staff meals for a single day…

(it goes on) 

$10 pays for the generator for one screening session…$5 buys minutes for a phone…$1 buys a serving of ‘mee chaa’ (fried noodles) for one staffer…

(and on) 

…$.50 gets a large bottle of water or a fresh coconut for a thirsty staffer…$.25 gets a small bottle of water or a bunch of bananas for snacks…basically, *nothing is wasted!*

Please note a few priorities, however:

=> There are very few functional cinemas left in Cambodia. We’re seeking to restore to at least a  basic working order the vintage ones (like the ‘Royal’) we are able to locate…

UPDATE 11/17/2010: we’ve just uncovered another ‘lost’ cinema house,, which we are hoping to include in the next event as an actual venue alongside the ‘Royal’ (mobile phone video here)

For the next edition of CamboFest, we need to purchase new materials and hardware including: an upgraded generator; a basic lighting system for guest safety and comfort; additional new or quality refurbished AV components; additional electric gear, such as stingers and breakout boxes, etc.

=> Contribute to staff salaries and training – for the 4.0 edition of CamboFest, we’re seeking to train Cambodian staff to take over many more essential operational aspects of the event. CamboFest staff salaries, while below developed country scale, are still significant and span several months leading up to, and some time after, the actual ‘main’ event.

As a privately funded, independent event taking place in a country with once of the highest densities of NGOs and non-profits in the world, CamboFest is unusual. We’re grass roots, independent of donor agendas, and we have to account for costs down the last penny (or Riel) in order to make an event happen.

=> Contribute to vital operational costs:  Office space, guesthouse lodging, Internet access, portable DVD players for screening staff, gas and phone cards…these are all vital, essential costs that are part of our core operations.

Please be involved in our historically significant efforts to bring a living cinema back to the developing world:

501 (c) 3 Tax deductible contributions HERE: make a contribution through our fiscal sponsor, the California-based Media Alliance

…or, make a direct contribution through our Secure Online Payment gateway

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

All contributions are duly noted on the CamboFest website, and other media (i.e., Youtube/Vimeo clips), which remain visible with ongoing exposure on an indefinite basis.  

Significant contributors and commercial sponsors (above  $1500 financial or $2500 in-kind) receive special, additional sponsorship exposure at venues, online, in our media and other materials.  

Broadcasters and commissioning editors: please also drop us a line regarding our exciting new doc series in the works, ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE CINEMA, which explores vintage cinema houses throughout all of Southeast Asia, starting with the 3 remaining vintage cinema houses in the vicinity of CamboFest, Cambodia, March 2011. (experts and production services already attached)

Thanks for supporting the rebirth of cinema – all contributions to CAMBOFEST, Cambodia are greatly appreciated and duly credited.

All the Best,

Phun Sokunthearith * J Rosette * Suong Sambath 

…and the rest of the CamboFest, Cambodia Team

501 (c) 3 tax deductible contributions:

HERE

Standard Direct Secure Contributions:

HERE

Contact with other inquries:

Email Us

CAMBOFEST: Film and Video Festival of Cambodia
http://www.cambofest.com

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